ABSTRACT
The Second Bank was the only bank in the country that was authorized to establish branches in more than one state. The Bank established nineteen branches when it started operations and had twenty-six branches by the end of its tenure. Much can be learned about the character and priorities of the Second Bank from its decisions about where to locate its branches. Toward this end, this chapter examines the respective roles of the US government’s preferences, the Bank’s commercial interests, and the geography of the state banking system in shaping the Bank’s branch network.
